OFFBEAT TRAVEL

A Whiskey Still, a Shooting Simulator, and Tennessee's Electric Chair All Have a Home at Alcatraz East Crime Museum

Alcatraz East, a new crime museum gives visitors the behind-the-scenes story to our nation's crime history.
Crime and investigation has always been a popular topic; from books, to television shows, and movies, people are intrigued with how crime happens and cases are solved. Now, these enthusiasts are in luck, with
our nation's
history of crime, justice and the law enforcement coming together at Alcatraz East in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Explore Offbeat New Mexico

The new crime museum is located at the entrance to The Island, featuring Margaritaville Hotel and Paula Deen's Family Kitchen, and is adjacent to Stages West and The Comedy Barn. The exterior
facade, a 19th century prison, was inspired by the historic Alcatraz Penitentiary in San Francisco.

Within the 25,000 square feet, two-story museum, there are over 100 interactive family-friendly exhibits.
The self-guided tour covers the history of American crime, the consequences of crime, crime scene investigation, crime fighting, and pop culture.

"I'm looking forward to having Alcatraz East as my new neighbor! I'm fascinated with forensic science," says Paula Deen, of Paula Deen's Family Kitchen. "After spending time at the museum, people can stop in for a
good meal. Together we make a great family friendly combination for spending a day at The Island in Pigeon Forge."

Some of the highlights of the many crime related artifacts on display include John Dillinger's death mask, Al Capone's rosary, a Bonnie & Clyde collection, the Bronco from the OJ chase, an FBI polygraph machine,
Al Pacino's submachine gun from the movie Scarface, items related to the 2012 Benghazi attack, and the latest in law enforcement technology. The interactive features of the museum will include a CSI lab, a simulated shooting
range, safe cracking, digital fingerprinting, and DUI safety training.

"Crime is part of history, and oftentimes crimes lead to laws and then those laws create change. The good news is learning about it often leads to crime prevention," states Vaccarello, "Whether you want to try out your
CSI skills or look at Ted Bundy's infamous VW Bug, we definitely have something of interest for everyone at Alcatraz East Crime Museum."

The museum is something that its owner, John Morgan, had always envisioned. The museum also has a
board of advisors who help contribute to its mission of education. The experts range from historians to law enforcement.